Thermal moderator-reflector design of the 24 Hz target station for the High Brilliance Neutron Source

Abstract

The High Brilliance Neutron Source (HBS) project develops a high current accelerator driven neutron source (HiCANS), aiming to substitute existing neutron research reactors, that reach the end of life. This study focuses on the thermal neutron moderator design for a low frequency, long pulse target station of HBS. We investigate the neutronic characteristics of the D2O+H2O mixture moderator material using the Monte Carlo particle transport code PHITS. Our findings show that, compared to D2O with lower neutron absorption, confinement of H2O is the dominant factor in achieving a high neutron flux within the moderator and thus a high neutron brightness. We find that surrounding the central thermal water moderator with a D2O+H2O mixture can achieve a better balance between confinement and absorption. However, because of multiple angles of reflecting neutron, this design will also increase the divergence of the neutron beam.